and disposing the affliction of Job 2. The subordinate efficient cause and that was Satan he was an efficient but under God Satan found out other instruments and tooles to doe it by but he was an efficient subordinate unto God And the Text discovers him three wayes 1. By his diligence in tempting ver 7. 2. By his malice in slandering ver 9 10 11. 3. By his cruelty in solliciting the overthrow and affliction of Job ver 11. Secondly We have the materiall cause of Jobs affliction or in what matter he was afflicted and that is laid downe first positively in those words All that he hath is in thy power that is his outward estate that was the matter wherein he was afflicted Then it is laid downe negatively in those words Only upon himselfe put not forth thy hand God doth set him out how farre the affliction shall go in the things that he hath thou shalt afflict him but thou shalt not meddle with his person with his body or with his soule Thirdly The finall cause of Jobs affliction and that is the practicall and experimentall determination decision or stating of a great question that was betweene God and Satan concerning Jobs sincerity God tells Satan that Job was a good and a just man Satan he denies it and saith that Job was an hypocrite Now the determination of this question was the generall finall cause of Jobs affliction When on the one side God affirmes it and on the other side Satan denies how shall it be tryed Who shall be the Moderatour and Vmpire between them Satan will not believe God and God had no reason to believe Satan How then should this be made out It is as if Satan had said Here is your yea and my nay this question will never be ended or decided betweene us unlesse you will admit some course to have Job soundly afflicted This will quickly discover what metall the man is made of therefore let him come to the tryall saith Satan Let him saith God behold all that he hath is in thy power doe thy worst to him onely upon his person put not forth thy hand So that I say the generall finall cause of Jobs affliction is the determination of the question the decision of the dispute betweene God and Satan whether Job was a sincere and holy man or no. And all this to give you the summe of those 6. verses a little further is here set forth and described unto us after the manner of men by an Anthropopathie which is when God expresses himselfe in his actions and dispensations with and toward the world as if he were a man So God doth here he presents himselfe in this businesse after the manner of some great King sitting upon his Throne having his servants attending him and taking an account of them what they had done or giving Instructions and Commissions to them what they shall doe This I say God doth here after the manner of men for otherwise we are not to conceive that God doth make certaine dayes of Session with his creatures wherin he doth call the good and bad Angels together about the affaires of the world we must not have such grosse conceits of God for he needs receive no information from them neither doth he give them or Satan any formall Commission neither is Satan admitted into the presence of God to come so neare God at any time neither is God moved at all by the slanders of Satan or by his accusations to deliver up his servants and children into his hands for a moment But onely the Scripture speakes thus to teach us how God carries himselfe in the affaires of the world even as if he sate upon his throne and call'd every creature before him and gave each a direction what and when and where to worke how farre and which way to move in every action So that these 6. verses following which containe the causes of Jobs affliction are as we may so speake the Scheme or draught of providence that may be the title of them If a man would delineat providence he might doe it thus suppose God upon his throne with Angels good and bad yea all creatures about him and he directing sending ordering every one as a Prince doth his Subjects or as a Master his servants doe you this and doe you that c. so all is ordered according to his Dictate Thus all things in Heaven and Earth are disposed of by the unerring wisdome and limited by the Almighty power of God Such a representation as this we reade in 1 King 22.19 Where Micaiah said to Ahab Heare thou the word of the Lord I saw the Lord sitting upon his throne and all the Hoast of Heaven standing by him And so he goeth on to shew how a spirit came and offered himselfe to be a lying spirit in the mouth of Ahabs Prophets This is only a shadow of providence there was no such thing really acted God did not conveene or call together a Synod of spirits to advise with de Arduis Regni about hard or doubtfull cases nor are wicked spirits admitted into his presence onely by this we are instructed and assured that God doth as exactly order all things in Heaven and earth as if he stood questioning or interrogating good Angels men and devills concerning those matters Having thus given some light about these six verses in generall I shall open the particulars Now there was a day The Jewish Rabbins trouble themselves much to find out what day this was They say it was the first day of the yeare Others that it was the Sabbath day But I account it a disadvantage to a cleare truth when it is proved by an obscure text The Sabbath hath proofe enough before the law though this be spared The holy Ghost hath told us only that there was a day or certain time When the sonnes of God In Gen. 6.2 The posterity of Seth who were the visible Church at that time are called the sons of God The unanimous consent of all Expositors I have met with is that here the sonnes of God are the good Angels so also they are called Cap. 38.7 of this booke Some it may be will object against this Exposition that of the Apostle in Heb. 1.5 To which of the Angels said he at any time thou art my sonne How then doe you interpret here that the sons of God are the Angels when as the Apostle hath exprest to which of the Angels c. I answer that the Angells are not the sonnes of God as the Apostle there expresseth they are not the sonnes of God by eternall Generation but they are the sonnes of God by temporall Creation for so he speakes there To which of the Angels said he thou art my sonne this day have I begotten thee They are not the begotten sonnes of God but they are the created sonnes of God And the Angels are called the sons of God in 3 respects First Because of their
those plaine-hearted mourners but for those also who are skillfull in lamentations such as Jeremie to set a song in the highest straines of lamentation for the bewailing of our troubles And say let such lament our day as lamented Jerusalem let such lament it as have lately lamented Germany such as now lament the ruines and desolations of Ireland Verse 9. Let the Starres of the twi-light thereof be darke let it looke for light but have none neither let it see the dawning of the day This is the last part of the curse which Job passeth upon his night Let the Starres of the twi-light thereof be darke Some comforts of the night are naturall others are accidentall Job in the former verses wishes away the accidentall comforts The meeting of friends and the voice of musick In this verse he removes the naturall comforts of the night which are two First The present light of the Starres Secondly The expected light of the Sunne The first comfort of the night is that though it be darke by the absence of the Sunne yet there is some light by the presence and shining of the Starres And it is a greater comfort in the night to remember that though now I have no light but from a glimmering Starre yet shortly the light of the glorious Sunne will shine upon me But in how darke a condition is the night when the Sunne is gone and the Starres too when the Starres are clouded from shining and the Sunne stayed from rising This Job wishes as the state of that night Let the Starres thereof be darke yea let it have no hope to see the Sun that is let it be an everlasting night Let the Starres of the twi-light thereof be darke By twilight we are to understand the beginning of the night or the evening when the Starres first appeare the word signifieth both twi-lights the twi-light of the evening and the twi-light of the morning The Starres of the twi-light are those resplendent Starres so much observed by Astronomers and observable by the Vulgar which shine in the evening and the morning When Job would have these Starres of the twi-light to be darke Heat once takes away a three-fold benefit from the night First These Starres are a great ornament to the night What a glorious spectacle is it to see the canopie of Heaven bespangled with the Starres as a garment set with Studs or Oes of Gold Secondly The Starres are a great delight and comfort in the night Thirdly The Starres are for direction and as guides in the night Hence Sea-men and Travellers mourne when they cannot see the Starres The Starres are the Marriners guide in the night While his hand is upon the helme his eye is toward Heaven and in the Heavens his eye is upon the site and motion of the Starres The woefull condition of those Sea-men in the storme is thus exprest Acts 27.20 Now when for many dayes neither Sunne nor Starre had appeared When Sea-men feele a storme in the night and cannot see a Star in the night their case is almost desperate Though the light of a Star be little yet the benefit is very great Let it looke for light but have none The Hebrew is Let it looke for light and none which is an usuall Illeipsis we supply the word have Let it looke for light and have none Let it looke for light He putteth that in to aggravate the sorrow of that night I would have this night expect the light let it waite and looke for it earnestly but let it have none let it be full of hopes but empty of enjoyments Let that night know no succession of a day whereas usually the Sun goes and returnes it sets and rises now let it goe and not returne let it set and never rise againe Neither let it see the dawning of the day He doth not only wish away full cleare and perfect light but the dawning of the day which is imperfect light let not so much as the beginning or first moment of a morning succeed that night The words in the Originall are Let it not see the eye-lids of the morning It is a very elegant expression noting the first breakin gs of light when the Sun peepes above the Horizon which Poets call the Raies of light streames of light or the wings of the morning As our Lord Christ the Sunne of righteousnesse is said to rise with healing in his wings Mal. 4.2 So the eye-lids of the morning alluding to the Sun which is the eye of Heaven and when the day dawneth the eye-lids of Heaven open the Sun awakens and looks out Even as when a man awakes first his eye-lids open These rayes of the Sun are compared to eye-lids because like the eye-lids they twincle or move continually darting themselves forth into the ayre and upon the earth In that Job forbids the Star-light and would take away the hope of sun-Sun-light from that night Observe first That in sad times small comforts may passe for great mercies In the day time no man lookes after the Starres Star-light is not valued while Sun-light is enjoyed but in the night a Star is a welcome sight He that is full saith Solomon despiseth the honey-combe but to the hungry soule every bitter thing is sweet When a man is hungry and wants a little is pleasant to him as our proverbe hath it Halfe a loafe is better then none A great Emperour once dranke puddle-water with more delight he professed then ever he had done the most delicious wines Sad times and hardship make that pleasant and very acceptable which in plenty we slight and passe by Hence it followes That the removing of small comforts in sad times are great afflictions If Starres which have but little light be taken from the night a great affliction is added to the night Some can loose more then another mans all and yet feele it not yet thinke they have lost nothing We are not troubled at the losse of small things when we enjoy greater But when all wee have are small then any thing we loose is great As in Nathans Parable 2 Sam. 12. when the poore man having lost but one Lambe had lost all he complaines greatly Secondly Job saith Let it looke for light but have none There is much in that He doth not say Let this night have no light but let it looke for light and have none From this we may observe That the want of that afflicteth us most which wee expect most If the night that is man in the night did not expect and looke for light it would not be much troubled with the absence of light To loose our expectation is more then the losse of the thing expected It is said of Siseras mother Judg. 5.28 when her sonne was upon that expedition against the people of God that shee looked out at a window and cryed through the lattesse why is his chariot so long in coming why tarry the wheeles of his
regarded the low estate of thine handmaid it is but a looke of gracious regard from God and all is well with man On the other side if God take off his eye winke and disregard all is blasted yea accursed our high estate falls our comforts are sowred and turned into a lumpe of sorrow We may say of all outward excellencies as Haman did Esth 5.13 of all his honour and greatnesse and favour at Court All this I have but all this availeth me nothing so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the Kings gate All his comforts were clouded all the light of his high estate was ecclipsed because there was a new Starre Mordecai shining still at the Kings gate Much more may we sit downe and casting up all that we have and are make the foote of our account nothing without the favour of God what doe riches what doth credit what doth beauty or parts availe us if God regard not all is nothing at all without God What are times what are dayes what is your condition if God withdraw himselfe this aggravates the curse this is mournefull when God regardeth not Job goes on to a third branch of the curse Let not God regard it neither let the light shine upon it That which before he spake against his day by wishing it darkenesse he speakes over againe and more in other words by wishing light might be denied and with-held from it To have no light is not a bare repetition or an explication of what it is to be in darkenesse but it is an addition to or an aggravation of it So the Prophet Isa 50.10 by him that walkes in darkenesse and hath no light sets out the saddest condition of an afflicted soule No light is not only darkenesse but pure darkenesse As when the Apostle John would advance the glory of God he saith God is light and in him there is no darkenesse at all 1 Ep. c. 1. God is pure light so darkenesse without light is pure darkenesse Let not the light As darkenesse so light may be taken either properly for naturall light that which God first created light was the first perfect visible creature light was the first dayes worke and by the worke of the fourth was gathered into those heavenly vessels the Sunne Moone and Starres and there put that it might be dispensed and carried about the world especially by that chariot of the Sunne Let this light this naturall light be with-held let it not shine saith Job upon that day The withdrawing of naturall light is a great affliction to the world Light is the most incorporeall of all corporall things the spiritualnesse of it shewes the goodnesse of it light is the beauty and discovers all the beauty of the world As a goodly adorn'd furnish't roome without a window or a candle such is the world without light Light is not only the light but the life of the world it quickens and comforts the motions of nature it is the instrument by which all the influences of Heaven are communicated to the earth which being stopt the course of nature stops this caused a great Philosopher to cry out when at the passion of Christ the light of the Sunne was totally ecclipsed Either the God of nature suffers or the whole frame of nature dissolves Was it not then a dreadfull curse when Job wishes the light taking it for naturall light might not shine upon his day But further take it improperly then let not the light shine upon it hath this voice in it Let there be no comfort no joy no good thing in the compasse of that day Light in Scripture expresses all good as darkenesse all evill That great blessing which was promised unto the Church in the great restauration of it is shadowed by light and by an increasing light in Isa 30.26 Moreover the light of the Moone shall be as the light of the Sunne and the light of the Sunne shall be seven-fold as the light of seven dayes in the day that the Lord bindeth up the breach of his people and healeth the stroke of their wound We are not to conceive that there shall be such an increase of the naturall light of the Moone or of the Sun but there shall be an increase of the comfort of the people of God which shall be as if the Moone and the Sun had in one day the light of seven dayes as if the Moone had got the light of the Sun and the Sun had got a seven-fold light more then it had before And he who is the chiefe the choisest and most transcendent blessing of all the joy of all our hearts Jesus Christ is called light he came as light into the world he is the light of the world the Sonne of righteousnesse The creator of all good things found nothing so good to shew his own goodnesse by as light Christ is light God is light and in him there is no darkenesse at all If then we take Jobs speech metaphorically or improperly Let not the light shine upon that day it amounts to a higher losse then the former Truly saith Solomon light is sweet and it is a pleasant thing to behold the Sunne and we may say truly all sweetnesse is light and every pleasant thing is as the Sun Though the Sun shine upon us yet if comfort be removed from us we are in darknesse Such a condition the Prophet speakes of Isa 50.10 Who is among you that feareth the Lord and obeyeth the voice of his servant that walketh in darkenesse and hath no light No light is no comfort none for the outward man none for the inner man both being benighted both deserted Hence observe That it is a greater judgement to have good things removed from us then to have evill inflicted on us He speakes more against the day when he saith let not the light shine upon it then when he saith let it be darkenesse The punishment of losse is greater then the punishment of sense He that is deprived of all good is by that act invested with all evills The most wofull condition of ungodly men in this life is exprest by the punishment of losse There is no peace saith my God to the wicked Isa 57.21 That they have trouble is not so bad as that they have no peace And the worst part of that everlasting woe which ungodly men shall suffer is a punishment of losse The heate of the fire shall not trouble them so much as the want of light God hath fully resolv'd that their day shall be darknesse that himselfe will never regard it from above nor let the least beame of the light of his countenance shine upon it Hence the condition of the damned is called outer darknesse Mat. 22.13 By outer darknesse Christ meanes darknesse without any ray of light Outer darknesse is their portion who are without Rev. 22.15 As the greatest blessing we receive by Christ is positive Joh. 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his
and the word for low is Bene-Adam sonnes of Adam If we should translate the Text directly according to the letter the words must runne sonnes of men and sonnes of men for sonnes of Adam and sonnes of Ish are both translated sonnes of men Yet when they are set together in a way of opposition the one signifieth low and the other high and so our Translators render it according to the sense not sonnes of men and sons of men but low and high Junius translates to this sence though in more words as well they who are borne of meane men as they who are borne of the honourable A like instance we have Isa 2.9 The meane man boweth down and the great man humbleth himselfe The meane man that is the sonne of Adam and the great man the sonne of Ish the great man in regard of his excellency is by such a circumlocution described to be more then a man not onely the sonne of man but the sonne of an honourable and great man So I finde the word divers times used to signifie the excellency and greatnesse of the person Then further it signifieth not onely a man that is great but it signifieth a man in authority There was a man that is an excellent man a man of worth There was a man that is a man in authority It signifies a Magistrate and so in divers places of Scripture Man is put for a Magistrate especially when it is exprest as here by Ish Gen. 43.11 Carry a present to the man scil to the Governour of the Countrey Jer 5.1 Goe thorough Jerusalem and search and see if you can finde a man What were men so scarce in Jerusalem at that time Was there such a dearth of men that a man could not be found Surely no. Jerusalem had throngs of men in every street The meaning then is explained in the words following if there be any that executeth iudgement that is if there be a Magistrate a publike man that 's the man I meane So in Numb 27.16 We find the word to signifie a Magistrate Let the Lord the God of the spirits of all flesh set a man over the Congregation A man that is a Magistrate for there that 's â—he businesse if you reade the Text you will find it a man in auâ—â—â—rity a man fit to rule And that is it which is meant in Act. â— 31 concerning Christ God saith he hath appointed a day â—â—rein he will iudge the world by that man whom he hath ordaiâ—ed It noteth Christ the man in power in authority because all â—ower in Heaven and in Earth is committed to him So you know â—was usuall among the Romans to call their Magistrates by the â—ame of The men as the Triumviri the Septemviri the Decemâ—iri to call them sometime the three-men sometime the seven â—en sometime the ten-men Those who were the speciall men in â—uthority that were men in place and eminency they carried away the Name of men as it were from all men as if they were the only men So that we have these two things to take notice of when it is said here that Iob was a man you must carry it further then the word is ordinarily taken Hee was a great man he was a man in authority a Magistrate Some carry the Magistracy so high as to set him on a Throne affirming that he was a King a point very much contended for by divers Expositors but that he was a Magistrate in Authority a Chiefe in his Countrey is cleare by that which is exprest of him in Chapt. 29. where he speakes of his deciding mens rights and executions of Justice In the Land of Uz. I will not trouble you with any Geographicall discourse In a word we may consider 3. things about Vz. 1. Why it was called so 2. Where it was seated 3. What manner of people they were that dwelt in Vz. 1. For the Name let it be taken from Vz the Name of a Man And there were three called by that Name in Scripture Gen. 10.23 Gen. 22.21 Gen. 36.28 from either of these Iobs Countrey might derive its name but from which of these would be â— thinke a nice debate yet it is rather ascribed to Vz or Huz the eldest Sonne of Nahor Gen. 22.21 2. For the place where it was seated it is cleare that it was upâ—on the borders of the Sabeans and of the Caldeans and of thâ— Arabians those Easterne people Some affirme that the lot 〈◊〉 the halfe Tribe of Manasses on the other side Iordan which waâ— set forth for them when the people of Israel came into Canaan was the very place where Job lived and that was called Vz. Its cleare that it was neare those parts above mentioned First froâ— Lament 4 2â— There the Prophet Ieremie speaking of Vz saiâ— Rejoyce and be glad O daughter of Edom that dwellest in 〈◊〉 Land of Uz. And Ier. 25.20 he speakes againe of the Lanâ— Uz All the mingled people and all the Kings of the Land of 〈◊〉 they shall drinke of the Cup he mentions the Cup also in tâ—â— place Lam. 4. Rejoyce and be glad O daughter of Edom 〈◊〉 dwellest in the Land of Uz the Cup also shall passe thorough 〈◊〉 thee Secondly Vz border'd upon those Countreyes for thâ— people made out their Parties invaded slew and tooke 〈◊〉 Jobs Estate Cattell and servants therefore the place in all proâ—â—â—bility lay neere these Countries For the Condition and manners of the people It is generally received that they were a people prophane in their lives and superstitious at least in their worship Edumeans and Edomites the descendants of Esau heare ill all the Scripture over Among these Iob lived among these Iob govern'd there he exercis'd those pretious graces and practis'd those excellent duties both of holinesse toward God and of Justice toward men It was in the midst of a sinfull and perverse nation in the Land of Vz. Then Observe First God hath his servants in all places in the worst places There was never any ayre so bad but that a servant of God might breath in it Here God had a choice peece even in the Land of Vz a place of prophanenesse Here was Bethel in Bethaven a House of God in a Land of wickednesse Lot dwelt in Sodome Ioseph in Egypt David in Mesech and in Kedar There were Saints in Caesars wicked Neroes houshold Babylon holds many of Gods people yet let them not make such places their refuge much lesse their election But remember the call Come out of her my people Secondly We may observe from hence this being spoken of Iob to set him forth in the excellency of his spirituall condition that he lived in the Land of Vz. That It is a great honour and a high commendation to be good and do good amongst those that are evill You shall be recorded for it This was one reason why the place is named that the honour of Iob might be lifted up that he was good not
note That It is lawfull to use feasting The children of Job here went and feasted at their houses every one his day The Christians in the Primitive Churches had their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Love-feasts In a Feast there are two things extraordinary provision and extraordinary company both are lawfull God hath given us the creature not only for necessity but for delight and it is a cleare argument that such using of the creatures in feasting is lawfull because God hath made more creatures serving for the delight of man than he hath made for the necessity of man If God had meant that men should doe nothing but serve their owne necessity and maintaine their lives so as they might goe on in their places and callings one halfe of the creatures might have been spared But God made nothing in vaine Therefore he is willing we should use the creatures for moderate delight Abraham made a great feast at the weaning of Isaac and Isaac makes a feast for Abimelech and Phicol the chiefe Captaine of his Army Gen. 26. 30. And the like examples we have in divers other places And our Saviour Christ himselfe was at a feast in Cana of Galilee where when wine fail'd he supply'd it by miracle Joh. 2. But because feasting is so often abused and many turne this liberty into wantonnesse being then most wicked when they should be most thankfull and grieving God most when he gives them meanes or occasion of rejoycing I shall therefore briefly discover the abuses of feasting which will also hint rules for the right ordering of it That we may as the Apostle speaks eat and drinke and do all to the glory of God 1. Then feasting is sinfull when any over-charge their estates and lavish out what will but serve their necessities or conveniencies upon delights and superfluities to such Feasting is a sinne 2. When the rich feast the rich and never thinke upon the poor Luk. 14.12 13. When thou makest a dinner or a supper call not thy friends nor thy brethren neither thy kinsmen nor thy rich neighbours Observe here this is not an absolute denyall of calling brethren and kinsfolkes and friends or rich for brethren may yea ought to be called but saith he when thou makest a feast call the poore the maimed the lame the blind that is when thou makest a feast be sure to remember these doe not bid thy brethren or the rich alone let the poore have a portion with thee and be refreshed at or from thy Table When the rich feast one another and let the poore starve or pine this is very sinfull 3. When there is a studied curiosity and exactnesse in feasting When all things that can be thought on must be fetched in strange meats and forraigne sauces when there is a lusting after Quailes when men must have meat for their lusts Though we may have feasting for our delight yet we must not have feasting for our lusts Such make their belly their god as the Apostle speakes when there is so much art used as destroyes the nature of the meat this is a sinne and an errour I remember Bernard speaks of his times That a man might be at a fish feast and yet should not know whether he had eaten any fish or no all things were prepared with so much art that the very nature of the creature was lost This is a sinfull vanity 4. When there is intemperance in feasting whatsoever the provision be when there is excesse an over-charging of nature which is surfetting and drunkennesse As by the former man overthrowes the nature of meats or drinkes So by this meat and drinke overthrowe the nature of man A man may feast himselfe into a beast and we usually say of such persons They are disguised For such feasting the land mournes 5. When feastings are frequent Feasts are not for every day that was the thing taxed in the glutton Luk. 16. that he fared deliciously every day 6. When we spend too much of the day at any time or too much time any day in feasting when we dine till night and sup all or a great part of the night this is chambering and wantonnesse this is a woefull expence and waste of time and the expence of time is worse by farre then the expence of mony you may regaine the expence of your mony but you can never call backe the expence of your time you may be at greater charges in your feasting for the waste of time then for the waste of estate All the world cannot give you backe againe the expence of an houre Indeed we often heare men complaine they have spent too much mony in feasting and entertainments but 't is very rare that any complaine they have spent too much time which is as if a man having received a wound in his body should onely be troubled for the hole which the Sword made in his doublet Prodigality of time is the worst and most dangerous prodigality 7. Feasting is sinfull when unseasonable I speake in regard of occasions and opportunities there are speciall times wherein it is unlawfull to feast though we should spend but very little time in feasting Isa 22.12 13. In that day did the Lord God of Hosts call to weeping and mourning and to baldnesse and to girding with sack-cloth and behold ioy and gladnesse slaying Oxen and killing Sheepe eating flesh and drinking wine in the next verse it is said It was revealed in mine eares by the Lord of hosts surely this inquity shall not be purged from you till you die To feast in that day was sinfull and a sin that left such a staine as could not be got out it shall not be purged from you What time was this wherein their feasting was so sinfull what made this sin so deepe grained You shall find a resolution in the beginning of the Chapter It was a day of trouble and perplexity and of treading downe by the Lord God of hosts in the valley of vision breaking downe the walls and crying to the mountaines It is a day of trouble and perplexity and will you now be feasting saith God Is this a time for you to feast in when my wrath is breaking forth amongst you This feasting with men is a daring of God a sending as it were defiance unto Heaven And such feastings Amos reproves Chap. 6.4 5. They did eat the Lambes out of the flocke and the Calves out of the midst of the Stall they chaunt to the sound of the Violl and invent to themselves instruments of musicke like David they drinke wine in bowles and annoint themselves with the chiefe oyntments but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph Then at this time feasting is unseasonable for Ioseph the people and Churches of God are in affliction And this is such a day as the Prophet describes a day of trouble and a day of perplexity from the Lord the Kingdome is full of trouble and we are full of feares therefore
say she was one one act is enough to assimilate but it is not enough to denominate Thus much may serve to evince that though we take the words in that worst sense yet it doth not necessarily inferre that Jobs wife was a wicked an ungodly woman which is the objection against that Exposition From the words translated Curse God and die and thus expounded we may observe First That Satan is restlesse and unwearied in this designe to bring the people of God to thinke ill and speake ill of God It is that he laboured for in the carrying on of this whole businesse concerning Job and every stone is turned every way tryed to accomplish this proposed end Secondly In that he perswadeth Job by his wife when he was in this wofull condition to curse God and die Observe That Satan would perswade us to ease our selves of troublesome evills by falling into sinfull evils Job was grievously diseased you see the medicine and the cure that Satan prescribeth Goe sinne saith he curse God and die whereas one of the least evills of sin is worse then all the evills of suffering that can befall us All sorrowes are more elegible then one sin It hath been rightly taught us from Antiquitie that the lowest degree of a lye because sin is not to be made or admitted if that medium could be assured so noble an end for the saving of a world What a father and teacher of lyes then is Satan who directs many a poore soule to save it selfe from or helpe it selfe out of a small affliction by adventuring upon some great transgression Thirdly Curse God and die It is sinfull to wish our own deaths though we are under paines more painefull then death It is sinfull to desire death absolutely we may desire it with submission to the will of God To live is an act of nature but to be willing to live because God wills it is an act of grace And as it is our holinesse to doe the will of God while we live so it is our holinesse to be content to live while we suffer according to his will On the other hand to die is an act of nature but to die because God wills it is an act of grace Christ is said to be obedient unto death because he died in contemplation of Gods decree and in conformity to his good pleasure To die thus is the duty of a Christian and the crowne of all his obedience Satan would have us live as we will and die when we will he tempts us as much to die when we list as to live how we list Satan puts Job upon it peremptorily curse God and die desire or procure thy own death To wish dâ—â—th that we may enjoy Christ it is a holy wish but yet we must not wish that neither absolutely The Apostle Paul Phil. 1.23 desired to be dissolved and to be with Christ yet you see how he qualifies and debates it To wish for death that we may be freed from sinne is a holy wish but yet wee must not wish that absolutely neither we must referre our selves to the pleasure of God how long he will let us conflict with our corruptions and with our lusts with this body of death and sin which we beare about us But to wish for death because our lives are full of trouble is an unholy wish God may yea and hath as much use of our lives in our troubles as in our comforts We may doe much businesse for God in a sick-bed We may doe God as much worke when we are bound hand and foote in a prison as when we are at liberty passive obedience brings as much glory to God as active doth therefore we must not wish for death especially not with an absolute wish because we are under troublesome evils And if it be sinfull to wish for death how wicked is it to procure or hasten death to pull down our house of clay with our own hands because we are under troublesome evills Fourthly Observe further Satan would perswade that death is an end at least an ease of outward troubles Wouldest thou have an end of thy troubles and of thy sorrowes Curse God and die here is the remedy We say indeed of some remedies that they are worse then the disease but I am sure this is Death to ungodly ones it is so farre from being an end or an ease of their troubles that it is to them as Christ speakes in another case the beginning of sorrowes the entrance to eternall death and the very suburbs of Hell Yet how many doth Satan perswade when they are in Jobs case in great extremities that death will be the cure of all their troubles Fifthly Observe That Satan would make men willing to die when they are most unfit to die You see what preparation Satan directs Job unto he biddeth him curse God and die Would not Job thinke you have bin in a fit posture in a fit frame for death when he had bin cursing God Repent and die pray and die humble thy selfe and die beleeve and die take fast hold of Christ who is our life our way to life and die are the counsels and voice of the holy Ghost but Satans language is curse God and die sin and die be impenitent and die blaspheme and die And it is an experienced truth that oftentimes they seeme most willing to die who are most unfit most unready for death you shall see some men venturing yea casting away their lives without feare or wit the whole visible businesse of whose lives hath been nothing else but a working out of their own damnation without feare or trembling They as it were give diligence all their dayes to make Hell and reprobation sure and yet goe out of the world as if they were sure of Heaven This is Satans preparation curse God and dye Lastly Note this That the holiest person is lyable to the most blasphemous temptation One would have wondred that Satan should ever have ventured to suggest such a grosse thing as this to so holy a man as Job But Satan where he hath been often foyled growes impudent and will then suggest such things not because he hopes to prevaile but because he resolves to vex such as he cannot overcome He troubles as much and as many as he can So much of the counsell which Jobs wife gave him reproving him as foolish and over-credulous in holding fast that unprofitable thing his integrity and advising him to be worse then mad or out-ragious in cursing God and dying Let us now consider Jobs holy and wise reply in the tenth Verse But he said unto her Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh what shall we receive good at the hand of God and shall we not receive evill These words containe Jobs reply wherein two things are considerable First A reproofe Secondly A refutation First He rejects her counsell with a sharpe and wholesome reprehension and then he refuteth her counsell by strong
endure from the hand of God or man This Christ approves and commends in his Disciples Luk. 22.28 Yee are they saith he who have continued with me in my temptation It is an easie peece of friendship or discipleship to continue with Christ at a feast or at a full Table but in a temptation to continue with him speakes a Disciple indeed Some friends are like the Swallow they come in the Summer and sing with you but when it is Winter cold and frost then farewell they must seeke a warmer climate These are summer friends while the summer of comfort the summer of riches the summer of outward contentment lasteth you cannot be rid of them but if the winter come the winter of trouble and sorrow and poverty and sicknesse they are gone they will not once look on you they passe on the other side of the way as the Levite did when he saw the man lye wounded and weltring in his blood Luk. 10.32 these are summer friends not winter friends not Secondly observe this As it is an act and an argument of friend they ship to doe thus so it is likewise a duty to doe thus It is a duty to mourne with those that mourne and to visit those that are in affliction Many looke upon it only as a complement to visit their sad friends we must looke upon it as a duty Christ puts it Mat. 25.36 as one of those visible acts of duty upon which he will pronounce the blessing of that great day Come ye blessed why I was sick and ye visited me Christ is not sick in his person he is in Heaven where is no sin and therefore no sicknesse shall ever enter and indeed he never was sick in his person when he was here upon the earth Christ did not beare our personall infirmities he bore only our naturall infirmities I know it is said he bore our sicknesses by compassion and by compensation but he was not sick Whereas then Christ saith I was sick he meanes sick in his members And when he saith ye visited me he meanes his sick distressed servants he takes it so kindly when done to his that he reckons it as done to himselfe It is an act you see and an office of love upon which Christ hath a speciall eye The Apostle James chap. 1.27 doth as it were put all Religion in this It is such a fruit of Religion as doth evidence the truth of Religion and therefore hath obtained not only the name of Religion but is made the defenition of Religion· Pure Religion saith he and undefiled before God the Father is this What is it To visit the fatherlesse and the widdow in their affliction This is a definition from the effect It is not put in generall that to visit the fatherlesse and the widdow but to visit them in their affliction is pure Religion that is this is a fruit that which groweth up from the roote of pure Religion if pure Religion live in the heart this will be a fruit in the life Wherefore looke not upon the visitation of a disconsolate friend as a matter of indifferency but of duty and doe it not only for love but for conscience Thirdly The text saith as soone as they heard or when they heard of all the evill that was come upon Job they came to mourne with him Then Observe The very report of an others suffering should move us to mourne and suffer with him Report should bring us when we doe but heare of such a thing It is very unwarrantable to judge or censure a friend upon report and heare-say but a report is warrant enough to pitty and pray for him to visit and comfort him Remember them that are in bonds saith the Apostle Heb. 13.3 as bound with them Remember them Remembrance is of things and persons which are absent remember them though you see them not though absent from you yet make their case as present be as bound with them be as afflicted with them yea hasten into their presence Beare one anothers burthens Gal. 6.2 Rejoyce with them that rejoyce and weepe with them that weepe Rom. 12.5 Be ye all of one mind having compassion one of another 1 Pet. 3.8 are Apostolicall rules for and tryals of Gospell-love It was a sad condition that David was in and it was a very sinfull condition that others about him were in when he saith Psal 69.20 I looked for some to take pitty but there was none and for comforters but I found none But if it be sinfull not to ease when it is in our power the sorrowes of others how sinfull is it to adde to their sorrow Such David found typing Christ in his sufferings who gave him gall for meate and in his thirst they gave him vinegar to drinke Thus the Lord complaines of those Heathen by the Prophet Zacharie Zach. 1.15 I was but a little displeased with my people and they helped forward the affliction Againe If it be a duty to mourne over the afflictions of others how exceeding sinfull is it to rejoyce at the afflictions of others This was Edoms wickednesse reproved by the Prophet Obadiah vers 12. Thou shouldest not have looked on the day of thy brother in the day that he became a stranger neither shouldest thou have rejoyced over the children of Judah in the day of their affliction neither shouldest thou have spoken proudly in the day of distresse We may further presse this point in reference unto the present condition of our bretheren in many places of this Nation in reference to the whole Nation of Ireland yea of the whole Church of God Are they not all mourners And if we are to mourne with private friends much more then with publick with whole Kingdomes and Churches We may bespeake all passengers in the language of the Prophet Jeremie lamenting over the desolations of Jerusalem Is it nothing to you all you that passe by England Ireland Is it nothing to you that travell though but in meditation into the Churches of Christ in Germanie c. We reade of Nehemiah Cap. 1.4 when he heard the report of Jerusalems desolation though himselfe was farre off at Babylon though himselfe was rich and full and preferr'd in the Court of that Persian Monarch yet he mourned many dayes And Daniel Cap. 10.2 mourned three full weekes that is one and twenty dayes together over the distressed estate and condition of his people Jeremie wisheth Oh that my head were a fountaine of teares that I might weepe night and day for the slaine of the daughter of my people Chap. 9.1 We have had many slaine choice ones slaine this should be matter of mourning to us Take heed of such a spirit as is reproved in those Amos 6. Who sate upon beds of Ivory and stretched themselves upon their couches who eate the lambs out of the flocke and the calves out of the midst of the stall Who chaunted to the sound of the viol and invented to themselves instruments of
musick no not the voice of a mil-stone We have great cause to feare that the joyfull voice may suddainely be taken away not only from our nights but also from our dayes not only from our houses but also from our Temples For the voice of sin hath bin heard from both Darknesse hath begun to seize upon our light the seed of division is not only sowne but sprung up among us our troubles increase yea our joyfull voice is already changed into the sound of the trumpet and the Alarum of War into the neighings of Horses and the confused noise of bloody battels Isa 9.5 And which may afflict our hearts more we heare the mournefull voice of the Widdow crying out My Husband my Husband We heare the mournefull voice of the Orphan crying out my Father my Father Husband and Father slaine by the sword while they went out to helpe the Lord against the mighty It is time for us to sit solitary and alone to mourne every family apart and our wives apart Zach. 12.12 to lift up our voice in prayer night and day least the joyfull voice be utterly taken away and for ever silenced amongst us Least it be said of us as of Jerusalem Lam. 1.1 How doth the City sit solitary that was full of people How is she become as a widdow she that was great among the Nations and Princes among the Provinces how is she become tributary As that Heathen said of the time past I had perished if I had not perished So we may say of the time to come We shall mourne if we doe not mourne we shall be solitary if we sit not alone Our nights of sinfull joy in chambering and wontonnesse have bereft us and will bereave us more of refreshing joyes And instead of the voice of friend and brother you may heare only the voice of the enemy and avenger and that is no joyfull voice When Jacob was enformed of the approach of Esau his bloody brother he put all things in order and presently the Text saith Jacob was left alone Gen. 32.24 What deserted did his company run from him No it was an elected solitarinesse not a necessitated solitarinesse he desired to be alone and he staid alone that he might not be alone He staid alone that he might get God neerer in communion with him and his that his family might not be scattered from him and his house left desolate So if we would be voluntarily alone from the world to be with God wrastling out nights in prayer as Jacob did we might as he did prevent solitary nights and prevaile with God by the voice of prayer in the mediation of Jesus Christ and the powerfull cry of his blood to continue unto us the voice of joy JOB 3.8 9. Let them curse it that curse the day who are ready to raise up their mourning Let the Starres of the twi-light thereof be darke let it looke for light but have none neither let it see the dawning of the day IN the former verses Job himselfe curseth the night in this he inviteth others to curse it that his sorrow might appeare not only serious but solemne he calleth for those who made mourning their profession and to weepe for and with others their trade such as used to rise early and awaken their companions to come away and joyn in prepared and studied lamentation This I take to be the summe and sense of these words which yet in the letter are very full of difficulty and have divided interpreters exceedingly I shall briefely touch the most of those senses given and then more fully present you with what I apprehend as sutable to this Text and consonant unto truth First Take a briefe of the divers readings of this verse Let them curse it that curse the day who are ready to raise up their mourning So we in our Bibles The Vulgar and the Septuagint reade it thus Let them curse it that curse the day who are ready to raise up Leviathan Another renders the latter clause Who are ready to raise up the Dragon Theodot Mr. Broughtons translation runs thus May they curse it who doe curse the day who will hunt Leviathan Junius and Tremelius have a translation different from all these I would they had cursed thee that inlighten the day who are ready to stirre up Leviathan or the Whale That which all other Interpreters I have met with call cursing of the day they call inlightning the day You see there is much variety about the rendring of these words out of the Hebrew And there is as much diversity of opinion grounded thereupon First Some apprehend that Job in this verse alludes to the custome of a certaine people in Ethiopia called the Atlantes frequently mentioned in divers histories who living under the torrid Zone in an extreame hot climate used to curse the Sunne when it arose because it scorched them with vehement heate This made them in love with the night and hate the day And so the sense is made out thus Let them curse this night who use to curse the Sun-rising every day whose paine hightning and imbittering their spirits caused them to powre out the most bitter and revengefull execrations But I will lay this by though some set much store by it as a speciall treasure of invention For I much question not only whether this custome of cursing the day amongst that people was known unto Job but whether he ever heard of such a people being so remote and distant from him Secondly I shall a little open the meaning of that Translation given by Junius Let them curse it who inlighten the day who are ready to raise up Leviathan or the Whale By those who inlighten the day he saith the Starres are to be understood Let those curse thee who inlighten the day that is let the Starres curse thee And who are ready to raise up Leviathan that is let the windes be against thee let the winds curse thee or be a curse unto thee The reason he gives is because Starres are Illustratores Diei the inlightners of the day And to salve it we must not saith he take the day strictly for a day artificiall for then the Starres are of no use but for that part of the day naturall which is darke namely the night the Starres are the inlightners of the day namely of the darke part of the day the night And so Job calls here to the very Starres that they should oppose and trouble that night We reade in that notable history Jug 5.20 That the Starres in their courses did fight against Sisera such expressions there are making as it were the Heavens angry and the Starres to oppose the designes of men The host of Heaven is under the command of the Lord of Hosts when he calls them forth to the help of his people Thus he conceives Job inviting the Starres to take part with him in this quarrell against his night Let the Starres curse the day those
they who rejoyce in soule would even willingly be rid of their bodies they are above the body So they who are bitter in soule are desirous to be ridde of their bodies the body is a burden when the soule is bitter This bitternesse of soule caused those bitter complaints before and now this vehement expostulation Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery Wherefore We are apt to thinke there is no reason for that for which we can see no reason Job was in a darke condition and could not see the reason and therefore almost concludes there was none When we are posed we thinke all the world is posed too If we cannot interpret and expound the dealings of God we thinke none can nay in such cases some are ready to thinke at least to speake as if they thought that God himselfe can scarce give a good account of them This wherefore goes through the earth and reaches Heaven Tell me O my friends shew me O my God Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery Why Job there may be many reasons many answers given to this wherefore a man should be in light though he be in misery and why his life should be continued though his soule be in bitternesse What if God should appeare and tell thee It shall be thus and the reason of it is because I will have it so Is not that therefore answer enough to any mans wherefore The will of God is reason enough for man and ought to be the most satisfying reason If God say I will have life remaine in a man that is bitter in soule that man should say Lord it is reason I should because it is thy pleasure though it be to my own trouble Yet it is but seldome that God makes his will his reason and answers by his bare preâ—â—gative He hath often given weighty reasons to this quaerie First The life of nature is continued that the life of grace may be encreased Again Such live in sufferings That they may learne obedience by the things which they suffer God teaches us by his workes as well as by his word his dealings speake to us And It is as great an act of holinesse to submit our selves to the will of God in his workes as it is to the will of God in his word Another reason of this wherefore may be this God sets up some as patternes to posterity he therefore gives the light of life to some that are in misery to shew that it is no new nor strange thing for his Saints to be darkenesse And what if God doth it to magnifie the strength of his own power in supporting and the sweetnesse of his mercy when he delivers such bitter soules Further observe first That The best things in this world may come to be burthens to us See here a man weary of light and life light one of the most excellent creatures that God made the most excellent next to life yea life the best the most excellent thing in nature both these become burthensome How gladly would Job have bin rid of light how gladly rid of his life Consider then how burthensome other things which at the best are burdens may be unto you If you heare a soule complaining of light and life and why are these given me when I am in misery Then what comfort thinke you will honour give you or what comfort will riches give you or what comfort will beauty give you in such a condition as makes you weary of light and life What comfort will sin give you what ease will your lusts give you in such a condition as makes you weary of light and life I never heard of any of the Saints that were troubled at any time with their grace or weary of the favour of God I never heard any of them say why is grace given to one that is in misery or the light of Gods countenance to the bitter in soule I never heard any say wherefore is faith given to a man that is in misery or hope and patience to the bitter in soule grace was never a burden to any man under greatest burdens or unsavoury to the bitterest soule when you are weary of all other things in the world these will be your supports Therefore labour after those things which you shall never be weary of even after those things which will be more pleasant to us then ever light was when light shall be to others more troublesome then ever darknesse was to any let us labour after those things which will be more sweet to us then ever life was when life shall be to others â—ore bitter then ever death was to any Secondly observe It is a trouble to possesse good things when we cannot injoy them Would you know how Job spake here as one weary of light and life It was not under the notion of light and life as if he had been weary of these in themselves but it was because he could not enjoy these Solomon assures us Prov. 25.20 that As hee that taketh away a garment in cold weather and as vineger upon Nitre so is he that singeth songs to an heavy heart Musick to one that is in sorrow doubles his sorrow why because he cannot enjoy the musick a heavy heart can worse intend musick then a heavy eare only those things which we can injoy in the use of them please in the possessing of them Of all temporalls the possession and enjoyment may be separated but for spiritualls the very possession of them is joy therefore enjoyment their presence is a pleasure and therefore their presence shall ever please We may distinguish between their use and their comfort but we can never seperate them One thing further When Job saith Wherefore is light given and life given The meaning of it is wherefore is light continued and wherefore is life continued for he speakes of himselfe and others that had light and were alive and yet he saith wherefore is light given c. From this we may learne That Every act of continuance of good things to us is a new act or deed of gift to us Mercy is given every moment it is enjoyed not only is a new mercy and a renewed mercy a new gift but continued mercy is a gift and a new gift life is a new gift every houre of time we live on the earth and glory will be a new gift every minute of eternity we shall live in Heaven Which long for death and it cometh not and dig for it more then for hid treasures This 21. verse doth further explicate who are the bitter in soule even such as long for death when a soule from naturall principles finds a sweetnesse in death that soule is in bitternesse Our affliction and our misery is indeed worme-wood and gall as the Church complaines Lam. 2.19 when death is as honey and long'd for as the honey-combe There is bitternesse in the death of the body and yet some are so
often tutor'd his spirit with such questions as these and catechised his heart in them from day to day hence he saith The things I feared are come upon me To proceed I was not in safety neither had I rest nor was I quiet yet trouble came This is both an addition to and an exposition of the former verse These words explaine what he meant by saying I feared a feare even this I was not in safety neither had I rest c. I was not in safety No was not Job in safety in the dayes of his prosperity Is it not said that he had a hedge about him and such a hedge as the Devill could not breake thorough to hurt him and was not Job in safety then The Hebrew word from the roote Shalah doth also signifie I was not secure I was not in security or I did not sit safe in my own thoughts in my own opinion I did not live securely or without feare in my most flourishing dayes And from this root Christ is called Shiloh Gen. 49.10 The Scepter shall not depart from Judah till Shiloh come Christ is Shiloh that is he in whom all persons may securely trust you may sit downe in safety in Christ and rest your soules for ever he is Shiloh our preserver And the Hebrewes use that word to signifie that fleshie mantle in which the infant is wrapped in the mothers belly because the infant lieth there quietly and securely it is out of feare and hath no thought of any danger but lyeth securely out of barms way So that when Job saith I was not in safety he meanes I did not thinke my selfe safe or beyond the reach of danger I was not taken up in outward contentments I did not looke upon my possessions as perpetuities or upon my house as that which should endure for ever or my dwelling place to all generations Job was not like the great Monarch of Babylon Dan. 4.4 who said I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in mine house it is the same word which is used in the Text I saith Nebuchadeezzar counted my selfe the greatest man in the world and I thought none could touch or molest me I was at rest and safe We have such a description made by the Prophet of a whole Nation as this King makes of his own person Jer. 49.31 Arise get ye up unto the wealthy Nation that dwelleth at ease or it is the same word to a Nation without either feare or care a secure Nation as it is explained by the words following which have neither gates nor barres which dwell alone If you come to a mans house that hath neither lock nor key nor doore nor barre you may well resolve that he dwelleth securely and is in safety And if you come to a City that hath neither gates nor barres you will say either this City hath no enemies or else it feares none A City without gates and barres is the embleme of security Jobs temper was directly opposed to this I was not in safety neither had I rest nor was I quiet These two latter expressions are of the same importance with the former both these words have been opened at the thirteenth verse of this Chapter both being there applied to rest and quietnesse in the grave There he said if he had died he had been at rest and quiet but all his life time he had no rest neither was he quiet But is this agreeable to the duty or character of a godly man to say he hath no rest he is not quiet Surely a godly man ought to be quiet when all the world is hudl'd together in confusion when the mountaines skip like lambes and the little hills like young sheepe then even then he ought to stand like mount Sion that cannot be moved And did it become Job or is it any part of his commendation that in the times of his peace he had no rest When the Prophet shewes the temper of wicked men he compares them to the troubled sea when it cannot rest Isa 57.20 It should seeme that Job was like a troubled sea for himselfe saith he could not rest I answer by distinguishing first of a two-fold rest There is a rest of contentation and a rest of confidence Job had not a rest of confidence he trusted not in his outward peace but he had the rest of contentation even in his outward troubles A wicked mans conscience is like a troubled sea when he enjoyes outward peace but Job enjoyed peace of conscience while his outward estate was like a troubled sea He was fully setled in his mind when he had no rest and was satisfied in spirit when he had not this quietnesse So that when he saith I had no rest neither was I quiet his meaning is only this I never placed my happinesse in these things I never built my hopes upon creatures I never trusted upon them nor expected much from them Or if you will more clearely apprehend the sense of this last verse you may reade it in that contrary practice of the rich man Luk. 12.19 His house was full but his heart was fuller of the creature and he made the creature both his rocke to build upon and his pillow to sleepe upon when his ground brought forth plentifully and he had built new barnes to lay up his fruits then he layes himselfe down to sleepe and that he might sleepe quickly and quietly he sings a requiem to his soule Soule thou hast much goods layed up for many yeares take thine ease eate drinke and be merry No face can be more unanswerable to a face Heaven and Hell light and darkenesse are not more unlike then these words of the rich man are unanswerable in likenesse to those words of Job That rich mans words are the affirmatives of all Jobs negatives and may be thus rendred in full sense I was and I resolved I should so continue in safety at rest and quiet Jobs estate was as full as his but his heart was emptied of all creature confidence and complacence I said he never thought my selfe the safer for these and therefore I said to my soule soule take not thy rest quiet not thy selfe in these This is his intent in saying I was not in safety neither had I rest nor was I quiet It followes Yet though it was thus with me trouble came though my heart was loose from the creature yet I lost all I had in the creature though I made not the world my comfort yet I found sorrow in the world I never expected much peace in it none at all from it yet trouble came such trouble came as might move and shake me to peeces Job you see when he had abundance of all outward things yet saith he was not in safety and at quiet hee did not rest in or upon them Hence observe A godly man never setteth up his rest in creatures Though he have never so much riches in possession yet he doth not make riches his portion